For some reason, this line of thought on the TIPS emails has gotten under my skin; although, I can't put my finger on it, I do think that "stressing to our students the value and importance of critical thinking" is not the answer, but rather ***showing*** them the answer might be. There are several activities and interesting phenomenon that should allow for this. I hope the frustration on all sides of this conversation leads instructors to ingenious solutions in their classrooms, rather than placing the blame elsewhere.
Cheers, Jennifer Puente >===== Original Message From "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ===== >Louis, > I would have to agree with Miguel on this. I do >not have any data to back me up, so I will only talk >about my impressions here. It seems that the mass >media, which is where many people seem to collect a >lot of their "knowledge", has become so thin in actual >contents that critical thinking is definitely not a >part of the experience of watching the news. All seems >to be emotions based. The angles taken on the news >reports are dramatic, sensitive, tragic, sad, >intense... but seldom analytical. When do reporters >actually ask real questions that seek real answers? > >My wife and I never watch television at home. In fact, >we do not spend a dime on cable or satellite, and we >don't even have an antenae (why the television then? >Well, I have to admit to watching a rented movie here >and there...). We have the Internet, and if we are in >need of information, we can search for it, and get >multiple sources. > >Talking with my students on a daily basis, I am struck >by the influence that the mass media seems to be >having on them. Not only do they spend (by their own >account) WAY too much time watching shows, they don't >go deeper in any of the issues presented to them. Can >we blame it on their young age? Perhaps. But they seem >to be in need of more models of inquisitiveness. I do >not want to blame it all on the mass media. Perhaps >this is a case of a simple correlation, and the >underlying cause is a shift in society in general. It >becomes a matter of the "chicken or the egg"; did >society lead to the current state of mass media, or is >it the other way around? Or is it something else? >Perhaps it is a consequence of this fashion we have to >seek instant gratification? Let's become Rich so we >don't have to work anymore... but hey, wait a minute! >Nobody ever said I'd have to start working in the >first place! > >Regardless of the answer, the situation remains: it >seems that society (in general, not everyone) does not >seek to go very deep in terms of knowledge (one needs >to work to gather info). Just look at the US President >and government, and all that is going on right now. >Isn't somebody going to clue in that something seems >to be wrong there? Could someone use the term >Democraty more often, while at the same time being >more anti-democratic? (oops... I may expose myself to >an interogation for this one!) > >Anyhow, just my thoughts for the day. I certainly do >not have the whole picture. But the part I see for now >is telling me that we need to keep stressing to our >students the value and importance of critical >thinking. Cheers to that! > >Jean-Marc > > > > > --- Louis_Schmier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Miguel, society is anti-intellectual? That's a heck >> of an blanket and >> assumptive accusation on the whole of society. Does >> that include us? >> After all, we are a part of that society. Besides, >> I know a lot of Ph.D.s >> who can't write their way out of that proverbial >> paper bag. >> >> >> Make it a good day. >> >> >> --Louis-- >> >> >> Louis Schmier >> www.therandomthoughts.com >> Department of History >> www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html >> Valdosta State University >> Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /~\ /\ >> /\ >> (229-333-5947) /^\ / \ / >> /~ \ /~\__/\ >> / \__/ \/ / >> /\ /~ \ >> /\/\-/ >> /^\___\______\_______/__/_______/^\ >> -_~ / "If you want to >> climb mountains, \ /^\ >> _ _ / don't >> practice on mole hills" -\____ >> >> >> >> --- >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> > >______________________________________________________________________ >Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca > >--- >You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
